SELLING YOUR HOME
HOME SELLING PROCESS
Looking to sell your home? Selling your home can be a swift and straightforward process, or it can be more extended and complex, depending on your preferences and goals. Numerous factors influence a successful sale, and various strategies exist. If maximizing your home's value is your priority, the level of effort you invest in preparing it for the market is crucial. Some sellers find the time and energy worthwhile, while others prefer to price their homes lower and sell them "as-is." After analyzing the numbers and exploring different scenarios, you can make an informed decision that best suits you and your family, and we'll guide you through the process.
Step 1: Seller Consultation
The seller consultation is essential. It allows us to understand your reasons for selling and your key objectives. Every seller has unique priorities. While maximizing profit is universally important, we understand that no one wants to leave money on the table, and we strive to secure the best possible outcome for our clients. Simultaneously, some sellers require a quick sale, others may need to lease back their property after closing, and some may prioritize a higher price over a faster sale. Our selling strategy is tailored to your specific needs and informed by comparable sales in your area.
Step 2: Pricing Your House
Following the seller consultation, we analyze recent comparable sales in your neighborhood and propose a price range with various options and potential outcomes. Accurate pricing is the most critical aspect of listing your home.
Step 3: Listing Paperwork
During the seller consultation, we discuss the essential aspects of selling your home, including the required paperwork and your preferred approach to agent commissions. Both listing and buyer agent commissions are negotiable. Once we agree on a commission strategy, we'll prepare the necessary paperwork for your signature.
Step 4: Preparing the Property for Market
While signing paperwork is straightforward, preparing your property for listing can be more involved. During the initial consultation, we'll discuss the return on investment (ROI) for various updates and cleaning tasks. Standard market-ready preparations include touch-up painting, deep cleaning, removing personal items, landscaping, and repairing essential systems. Depending on the property, this process can range from minor touch-ups taking a few days to extensive renovations spanning months. Starting discussions with listing agents six months to a year before listing can be highly beneficial.
Step 5: Listing the Property (MLS or Private Exclusive)
If you want to test different price points, we can begin with a private exclusive listing for a week or two before listing on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). For sellers needing a quick sale, we can proceed directly to the MLS. Once photos and videos are ready, we have options. Photography typically takes two business days, and video production takes three to four days.
Step 6: Marketing & Weekly Updates
We create a custom website for each listing and launch targeted social media campaigns. We closely monitor the market for all our listings, providing you with informed advice. We track new listings, pending sales, and closed sales to ensure we're guiding you toward maximizing your profit and achieving a timely sale. Agents who neglect market analysis may inadvertently advise sellers to accept below-market offers or reject potentially optimal offers. Data-driven insights are crucial.
Step 7: Accepting an Offer
While offer forms are standardized, an agent's understanding of their nuances is vital for protecting your interests. Skillfully countering offers to safeguard sellers from buyers backing out at the last minute is essential. Agents lacking contract expertise may be vulnerable to exploitation by experienced agents. We uphold our fiduciary duty to our clients, and while we expect buyer's agents to represent their clients' best interests, we will often counter offers to ensure your interests are equally protected.
Step 8: Closing
Once the contract terms are fulfilled, you can expect to receive your proceeds on the same day or the following business day. We strive to schedule closings to align with your needs. If you require same-day proceeds, we'll aim for an earlier closing time. Upon closing and receipt of funds, the property ownership transfers. If a leaseback agreement is in place, it takes effect immediately post-closing until the agreed-upon move-out date. Leasebacks cannot exceed 60 days if there's a loan on the property.